Watching any anime?

[Fudozukushi]

For Star Driver, since Head wasn't planning on killing Takuto or anything this was a fight I could have been fine with him losing.

Level E is rad, yes.

[Pyro]

The disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya:
Finally got around to watching this. GREAT movie. Very Haruhi. I miss this show so badly, and I hope that the E8 thing doesn't destroy the good faith needed to make a third season, whenever that may be. Secondly, I actually LIKED Endless Eight. I imagine watching it live would be a disaster, but I watched all eight in a row (four hours!) and it was so fucking surreal and unheard of that I ate it up. I am a horrible art fag.

This. The movie was pretty much everything we loved about the original Haruhi condensed into 2.8 hours of awesome, win, and OMG SO GOD DAMN PRETTY.

Madoka Magica:
Gave this a second chance on the recommendation of Stel, and I'm glad I did, because it made one of those sudden tonal shifts that I really like, assuming it doesn't get TOO horrifically graphic, which so far it hasn't. I'm really looking forward to seeing where this goes.

I've heard a lot about this show. Too much, in fact. I'm not sure I'll be able to enjoy it that well since it was spoilered for me but I want to give it a shot.

Level E:
I've heard essentially no hype for this, which I think is a shame, because this is really the sleeper show of the season. It's funny, well paced, and the characters are really defined. Also, the opening for this is just plan rad, and if you don't enjoy it, then you're simply NOT A COOL DUDE. So watch Level E

It really is a very enjoyable show. Alien Puppet Theatre vs. Mikado Puppet Theatre go! But yeah, humor and style seem to be here in spades.

I'd also recommend checking out Gosick this season. The show starts a little dull in ep 1 but that is just laying the groundwork for a rather enjoyable 2 and 3. The characters are fun and Victorique is probably the best lead I've seen in a while.

[Niu]

Star Driver- Should I laugh at the underliying joke of this eiposde?

"If what you want to do and what you are doing are the same, then you can hear the voice of the world"
And then the equation goes like this:

What you want to do (Takuto wants to beat up his dad)
+
What you are doing (Takuto is beating his dad)
=
You hear the voiec of the world (Tauburn up grade and Takuto's dad got beaten)

[jsh357]

Interestingly, I just finished reading what exists of Hunter x Hunter a few months ago and decided to read Level E, then I found out the anime was starting up and decided to wait for it.   Just watched the first episode a few minutes back, and it owned.  I doubt it's Togashi's best work, but I really love his mixture of b-movie goofiness and serious themes.

[Niu]

Kore wa Zombie desuka- Wow, with the original novel being so unspectacular, the anime managed to make itself into a pretty impressive gag/comedy show. I guess something needs to be act out instead of being written to become effective. Prinny doing a good job with the voice acting also helps. Pleasant surprise and I am going to follow this.

Those morons doing To Aru and IS, this is how you do a novel adaptation right.

[Niu]

I just feel the justice should be preached.

http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/7922/smashn.jpg

[Twilkitri]

Haruhi Suzumiya, Melancholy Of, S1 -

Episode 0 is 97% context-free and shows off much more of the show's bad side that it does its good side.

Things generally improve once it gets into the series proper, but really only due to the addition of the good side rather than any reduction in the bad side.

Ending was somewhat flat.

Because we live in endless resources society, the set came with some additional discs with the episodes re-ordered into what was supposedly the original broadcast order despite the fact that the order the episodes are in could be described as psychotic, mostly in terms of throwing other episodes into the middle of serials. On the other hand it would have a less flat ending in that order.


Gundam 00 S2 V5 -

The main plot didn't really progress much in this volume either, most of the time was spent thinning out the cast really. There was not even anything resulting from the occupation aside from cast thinning and then random time skip! and then we never hear about it again, at least not yet. As there is only one volume to go things had better get hopping.

Ribbons is a dick.

[Pyro]

I just feel the justice should be preached.

I don't normally agree with Niu but HERE FUCKING HERE.

Level E: Pretty rad. Continues to be enjoyable. Alien prince troll.

Madoka: Shocking subversion. Kind of horrifying. "What if Magical Girls fought Pure Evil? Not saturday-morning villains or someone who just needs a hug, but honest-to-god cosmic horrors?

Railgun Manga: Fantastic end to a great arc. Gives a very satisfying emotional catharsis for the hell that Mikoto got put through.

[DjinnAndTonic]

Haruhi Suzumiya, Melancholy Of, S1 -

Episode 0 is 97% context-free and shows off much more of the show's bad side that it does its good side.

Things generally improve once it gets into the series proper, but really only due to the addition of the good side rather than any reduction in the bad side.

Ending was somewhat flat.

Because we live in endless resources society, the set came with some additional discs with the episodes re-ordered into what was supposedly the original broadcast order despite the fact that the order the episodes are in could be described as psychotic, mostly in terms of throwing other episodes into the middle of serials. On the other hand it would have a less flat ending in that order.

You didn't like Episode 0? I figured you would have appreciated the over-the-top mockery of standard anime tropes (even if the series itself falls into them pretty heavily in some cases).

Also, original broadcast order is the only way to watch the series. There is only one -story- to tell in Haruhi, but the majority of the character development happens afterwards. The way the broadcast order works, it paces itself pretty well and adds a hearty bit of confusion to a series that is all about mixing up the standard view of an otherwise colorless world.

I mean, I know that standard school stories aren't your thing, so I'm wasting my time, but honestly, the series does a lot of good things for its genre and the weird story presentation was one of its strongest points, not something to be described as "psychotic". >.>;;

[Twilkitri]

a series that is all about mixing up the standard view of an otherwise colorless world

what does this even MEAN

You didn't like Episode 0? I figured you would have appreciated the over-the-top mockery of standard anime tropes (even if the series itself falls into them pretty heavily in some cases).

I don't remember it really playing with tropes much, seemed more like a stock horribly plotted youth video like my brother and his friends used to do? Except with added gratuitousness.

There is only one -story- to tell in Haruhi, but the majority of the character development happens afterwards.

If you're saying here that the Melancholy episodes are the only 'story', I think you're selling it short? But to be honest I'm not entirely sure where you were going with this.

I mean, I know that standard school stories aren't your thing, so I'm wasting my time, but honestly, the series does a lot of good things for its genre and the weird story presentation was one of its strongest points, not something to be described as "psychotic". >.>;;

School stories I have watched consist of: Cromartie High School, Goodbye Mr. Despair, Great Teacher Onizuka. I guess Fumoffu. Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Ocean Waves if you count movies. None of these count as standard? I have Ouran on hand if that counts and I could step it up. Otherwise I guess I'm not going to be able to see where you're coming from. You could see if there is anything you could recommend.

[AndrewRogue]

I don't remember it really playing with tropes much, seemed more like a stock horribly plotted youth video like my brother and his friends used to do? Except with added gratuitousness.

I just wanted step in and say this was pretty much my opinion of Episode 0 and why I never picked up the series. First episode, unfortunately, came across exactly as what it was portrayed as: a poorly made and awkward student film. >_>

[Hunter Sopko]

I don't remember it really playing with tropes much, seemed more like a stock horribly plotted youth video like my brother and his friends used to do? Except with added gratuitousness.

I just wanted step in and say this was pretty much my opinion of Episode 0 and why I never picked up the series. First episode, unfortunately, came across exactly as what it was portrayed as: a poorly made and awkward student film. >_>

Poorly and awkwardly made student film is exactly why it endeared me so much. I helped some film student friends make a bunch of them in college and it was always a ton of fun. Seeing it done there with Kyon's commentary was brilliant.

[Twilkitri]

This silence can only mean that there are no recommendable standard school shows that Djinn knows of. In that case I could easily see Haruhi as being a breakthrough for the subgenre.



Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust -

Was entertaining. Was left long enough I have forgotten anything I may have wanted to say.


Dancouga -

Was entertaining. Had too much Dancouga in it after it became available. Muge is remarkably level-headed for a villain. Cannot say the same for the rest of the villain cast.


Dancouga: Lequiem for Vic'tims (cut version) -

Was less entertaining. Mostly fighting with little worthwhile plot. Maybe they could have done more if they had not set aside a chunk over half the length of the show for recaps. Also the Dancousword is apparently a soul eater.


God Bracelet Dancougar -

Was less entertaining.

So the heroes of the previous war try to defend a city from a monster only for it to blow up and destroy the place, and they get thrown in jail for it. This is sounding retrofamiliar.

The world was somehow turned into a police state since the previous series and this is never really explained.

The existence of the villain is never really explained.

A variety of other things are never really explained.

In summary the main characters form a pop group.



Not sure whether I should go on to Blazing Epilogue or not considering it is in indecipherableospeak when I have so much in knownlanguage to watch.

[Pyro]

Continuing to watch Madoka and loving every second of it. Interesting characters with varying motivations for making the contract. Very interesting displays of fighting styles/powers to be had, which makes combat exciting (to say nothing of the tension in every battle). I'm also a fan of teleporters and Homura is like a remix of Senjougahara so I have myself a new favorite character.

Level E: Glorious trolling. I laughed so hard I cried.

[Niu]

Index: Finally, the introduction of the series has finished. At last the real meat begins. Like I did to the Angel Fall arc in season 1, if JC did not mess up the 0930 Arc that's starting next week, I'll forgive them of all their wrong doings in the past and hail them as the supreme god of the anime.
But if they do mess up, I expect the Index fans in Japan are conscious enough to burn down the JC building once and for all.

[Twilkitri]

Space Firebird 2772 -

Entertaining enough.

Godo's character is initially set up with him refusing to kill a bunch of aliens because they're 'human', and standing up for Olga because she's 'human', but then abruptly he starts seeing Olga as subhuman, participates in the chasing down and killing of a herd of (different) fire birds, and uses numerous lethal attacks on the firebird which he is supposed to be capturing alive (none of them are any use against it, but he doesn't know that). It is somewhat disconcertening. Then he gets redeemed by realizing that he loved Olga all along :S.

The ending is also annoying. So in order to save the Earth he loves so much (keeping in mind that until he was old enough to start cadet training he was seemingly kept in a single room, and partway through his cadet training he was sent to a labour camp, and had not been back to Earth since escaping, so he didn't actually have a great deal of time spent there), he sacrifices himself to the firebird. Then he gets resurrected as a baby anyway, and Olga gets resurrected as a REAL BOY WOMAN who takes him as her child. Way to have the whole Godo/Olga romance go to the best of possible places, to say nothing of the robots are people too thing.

Also Black Jack gets to beat Godo up. Good times.

[Carthrat]

I kinda want to bite on this, but how are Senjougahara and Homura anything alike? >_>

[Hunter Sopko]

They kinda aren't. A few similar personality traits (deadpan, no-nonsense), but... otherwise not the same character at all, functionally in the plot or otherwise.

[Pyro]

VA joke. They share the same Seiyuu so I was making a joke about that. As for why I like Homura, she's cool, serves as a very needed counter to Mami's overly friendly take on the situation, and I absolutely love the way they use her teleportation gimmicks.

But the Puella Magi Madoka Magica is incredibly awesome quite on its own merits. I haven't been this psyched for a series in a long while. Just try to avoid spoilers as much as possible for maximum effect.

[DjinnAndTonic]

a series that is all about mixing up the standard view of an otherwise colorless world

what does this even MEAN

Yeah, I guess that was pretty vague, I just didn't want to get into a rant about why I <3 Haruhi and that's what explaining this statement would mean. The shortest way I can describe it is that the series glorifies wanting to believe in fantasy while reminding such dreamers that reality can be fantastic too. And I think it does a damn good job of it.

I don't remember it really playing with tropes much, seemed more like a stock horribly plotted youth video like my brother and his friends used to do? Except with added gratuitousness.

The student film's roles themselves are the best examples of it. Magical Girl, Evil Witch, Mysterious Schoolboy who secretly has powers. The roles get more and more ridiculous over time as Haruhi keeps making things up. It's basically holding up a picture of something like Kimagure Orange Road or Sailor Moon or Negima and marking it up with crayon and taunting 'This is you, this is you, this is what your director acts like, this is what I think of your idea of continuity!'

If you're saying here that the Melancholy episodes are the only 'story', I think you're selling it short? But to be honest I'm not entirely sure where you were going with this.

It basically goes back to the idea that the reason I love the series is based solely on the message of these particular episodes. They do a great job of capturing the childlike love of the fantastic and the yearning for it to be real, but then reminding the dreamer that real life is worth viewing with the same passion. It's not a particularly new message, but these episode tell it rather well.

School stories I have watched consist of: Cromartie High School, Goodbye Mr. Despair, Great Teacher Onizuka. I guess Fumoffu. Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Ocean Waves if you count movies. None of these count as standard? I have Ouran on hand if that counts and I could step it up. Otherwise I guess I'm not going to be able to see where you're coming from. You could see if there is anything you could recommend.

That looks a like good selection of school anime... but I wouldn't really call them -standard-. Mostly because they -are- quality and each have something unique about them that makes them stand out in the genre. If you've never seen an 'average' show of the genre, I guess it's hard to understand why it's so amusing to see the Episode 0 parody of them... Fumoffu is probably the closest to 'average' school drama there?

[Niu]

Index ep.1- Ahhhhh!! Accelerator face smash at its finest. I have been waiting for this for toooooo long. A season and a half of OP is just too much. Go go Kihara kun!!! Kazu really should recognize the Kihara Divine Fist as the official name of the awesome punch.

But lovely, they took out the "Jaw" and the 50% discount!! So JC still can't do things right. I might not want to burn them down, but nor I am going to forgive them at this rate.

[mia~]

I kinda want to bite on this, but how are Senjougahara and Homura anything alike? >_>

They both get obnoxious head pans.

Actually what I really wanted to post is that Andrew's avatar is really cute. ;_;

[Twilkitri]

The shortest way I can describe it is that the series glorifies wanting to believe in fantasy while reminding such dreamers that reality can be fantastic too. And I think it does a damn good job of it.

To be honest - I don't remember there being too much fantastic reality in the show. I can only assume that we have different ideas as to what that would entail.

I don't remember it really playing with tropes much, seemed more like a stock horribly plotted youth video like my brother and his friends used to do? Except with added gratuitousness.

The student film's roles themselves are the best examples of it. Magical Girl, Evil Witch, Mysterious Schoolboy who secretly has powers. The roles get more and more ridiculous over time as Haruhi keeps making things up.

To be honest - I don't remember the roles ever really changing much. But to be honest I don't remember much about that episode by now. The only change in role I can remember was when Yuki became a ventriloquist which I interpreted at the time as Yuki covering for the cat rather than being an intentional part of the film. Although the cat never did do anything interesting in the rest of the series when it even showed up at all...

It's basically holding up a picture of something like Kimagure Orange Road or Sailor Moon or Negima and marking it up with crayon and taunting 'This is you, this is you, this is what your director acts like, this is what I think of your idea of continuity!'

To be honest - I don't know what you mean by this ._.




Yukikaze -

Decent.

Preferred early on when there was time devoted to Yukikaze doing whatever possible to protect itself. This stopped showing up later on and it was saddening.

Opening for operation 5 was bizarre and I don't really have much in the way of idea as to what was actually going on. Ending wasn't that crash hot either.



Gundam 00 S2 V6 -

A bunch of people get what was coming to them. Some other people don't.

Annoying newtype-standin things happen.

All up I declare it worse than the first season despite barely remembering the first season just because I am reasonably certain that the first season did not have healing empathy-bestowing rainbows.



Spice And Wolf S1 -

Pretty good.

World is somewhat depressing. Lawrence would make more headway if he assumed that everyone ever was lying to him. Seems a bit unrealistic for him to have survived up until the start of the series given the content of the series. Would not surprise me if it turned out that Holo was running some sort of soil preservation equivalent against him.

Currently no release date for Season 2 over here which is also somewhat depressing.

[Niu]

Index ep.20 - I shall give JC just a little credit for keeping Accelerator's killing spree in the recycling center. And Heaven Canceler should really stop helping Aleister do all the cover up.

[Niu]

.hack//Quantum- Check the runes over.... yeah, that should be Tarvos. Then Hello Pai, I guess it is really you.